Northern North Sea

This paper will focus on the application of lithium-ion energy storage solutions (ESS) for offshore oil and
gas (O&G) installations. It will discuss the benefits that can be achieved by integrating energy storage in
hybrid power plants, using the West Mira semisubmersible installation in the North Sea as a representative
case study. West Mira will be the world's first modern drilling rig to operate a low-emission hybrid (dieselelectric)
power plant using lithium-ion batteries. The integration of energy storage with the power supply and distribution system of a drilling rig represents
an important step towards improving the environmental sustainability of the offshore oil and gas industry
by reducing emissions and paving the way to harnessing clean but intermittent renewables, such as offshore
wind. Offshore rigs have highly variable power consumption for drilling and dynamic positioning. By
incorporating energy storage, it is possible to reduce the runtime of combustion engines and also keep
them operating on an optimized combustion level. The installation of an ESS on West Mira will result in
an estimated 42% reduction in the runtime of on-platform diesel engines, reducing CO2 emissions by 15
percent and NOx emissions by 12 percent, which is equivalent to annual emissions from approximately
10,000 automobiles. The batteries on West Mira will be charged from the rig's diesel-electric generators and used for supplying
power during peak load times. In addition, they will serve as backup to prevent blackout situations and
provide power to the thrusters in the unlikely event of loss of all running machinery.

The Vega subsea field in Norway has been producing successfully using a continuous Mono Ethylene Glycol
(MEG) injection, topped up with corrosion inhibition means. A topside reclamation process allows reuse
of MEG, however, limits the possibilities to produce saline water. In order to manage wells producing
saline formation water and to increase ultimate recovery, a new flow assurance and integrity philosophy
without continuous MEG injection is considered. This paper describes the options on hydrate as well as
integrity management and the modifications both on the subsea and topside facilities required to enable an
operational philosophy change. This change of the operational philosophy appears feasible, using either
timely depressurization or Low Dosage Hydrate Inhibitors (LDHI) as well as a film building corrosion
inhibitor in the system.

This paper describes the proposed re-development of the Galapagos Field, comprising the abandoned NW Hutton field and the Darwin discovery (Block 211/27 UKCS) which forms a southerly extension. The paper covers the initial concept and analytical evaluation, the static uncertainty model build, the dynamic model history-match, the iterations between static and dynamic modelling, the development subsea and well locations, the optimisation workflow of the advanced Flow Control Valve (FCV) completions in both producers and injectors and the facilities constraints.

The redevelopment plan involved several multi-disciplinary teams. 20 years of production data from 52 wells were analysed to identify the production behaviour and confirm the significant target that provided the basis for the development concept selection. The full Brent sequence compartmentalised stochastic static model was based on reprocessed seismic plus 14 exploration and appraisal wells. Streamlines, uncertainty sensitivities and mostly good detective work honed a history match to RFT, BHP, PLT and oil and water production. P50, P90/P10 models were selected and over 100 FCVs optimised to deliver the profiles against an identified FSPO facilities’ constraints.

Over 1,000 static models were delivered consisting of sheet sands, incised valleys and channels in heterolithic facies overprinted by a depth trend with appropriate uncertainty ranges. The high well count gave a tight STOIIP probabilistic range of 790/883/937 million stb. The early RFTs illustrated extreme differential depletion between Brent zones and subzones of the Ness. To history-match these the dynamic model retained the static model definition in the Upper Ness to capture the thin but extensive shales. The early 18-month depletion and the late steady production-injection phases were simulated separately in prediction mode and matched the Production Analysis estimated ‘future’ production giving confidence to the history matched model. The initial concept development of 4 subsea-centres, to cover the large field area, with an injector in each compartment proved a robust selection. The horizontal wells increase PI where needed and mitigate internal faulting. The optimisation of the FCVs significantly increased oil production from all zones and drastically reduced water injection and production so that the identified FPSO modifications were relatively modest. The final First Stage Field Development Plan consists of 11 producers and 6 injectors across developed and undeveloped areas confirmed robust P50 reserves of 84 million boe.

Robust concept selection allowed for early identification of production units so that constraints and modifications could be accounted for within the economic model.

The Galapagos field re-development plan is an excellent example of how detailed static and fully history matched dynamic models can lay the foundations for new technology like the optimisation of the FCVs to access bypassed reserves using significantly smaller production units with reduced requirements for power, compression, gas lift, pumping pressure, injection and production. In short, they shrank the facilities.

The major challenge facing society in the 21st century is to improve the quality of life for all citizens in an
egalitarian way, by providing sufficient food, shelter, energy and other resources for a healthy meaningful
life, whilst at the same time decarbonizing anthropogenic activity to provide a safe global climate. This
means limiting the temperature rise to below 2 C. Currently, spreading wealth and health across the globe is
dependent on growing the GDP of all countries. This is driven by the use of energy, which until recently has
mostly derived from fossil fuel, though a number of countries have shown a decoupling of GDP growth and
greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector through rapid increases in low carbon energy generation. Nevertheless, as low carbon energy technologies are implemented over the coming decades, fossil fuels will
continue to have a vital role in providing energy to drive the global economy. Considering the current level
of energy consumption and projected implementation rates of low carbon energy production, a considerable
quantity of fossil fuels will still be used, and to avoid emissions of GHG, carbon capture and storage (CCS)
on an industrial scale will be required. In addition, the IPCC estimate that large scale GHG removal from
the atmosphere is required using technologies such as Bioenergy CCS to achieve climate safety. In this
paper we estimate the amount of carbon dioxide that will have to be captured and stored, the storage volume
and infrastructure required if we are to achieve both the energy consumption and GHG emission goals. By reference to the UK we conclude that the oil and gas production industry alone has the geological and
engineering expertise and global reach to find the geological storage structures and build the facilities,
pipelines and wells required. Here we consider why and how oil and gas companies will need to morph
into hydrocarbon production and carbon dioxide storage enterprises, and thus be economically sustainable
businesses in the long term, by diversifying in and developing this new industry.

Total is determined to push ahead with its plans to drill for oil in the Amazon basin, it said on 1 June as Greenpeace activists interrupted its annual general meeting in protest over the project. An audit of the Martin Linge project was conducted by the Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA) on 28–30 March 2017. This was directed at technical safety, electrical equipment, maintenance management, and Total’s own follow-up of technical barriers during the commissioning phase.

A report from Norway’s Auditor General criticizes several aspects of the way health, safety, and the environment in the Norwegian oil and gas industry is followed up by the Petroleum Safety Authority Norway. Norway has invited companies to submit bids to use subsea reservoirs to store carbon dioxide near the country’s largest oil and gas field, Troll. Statoil To Become Equinor, Dropping'Oil' To Attract Young Talent Shareholders in Norway’s largest company, Statoil, approve the board’s proposal to drop “oil” from its name as its seeks to diversify its business and attract young talent concerned about fossil fuels’ impact on climate change. But serious personal injuries are growing, while feedback on the working environment, the HSE climate and perceived risk is moving in the wrong direction. Norwegian suppliers Framo, Maritime Partner, Norbit Aptomar, and NorLense have come together to create the Oil Spill Recovery Vessel Group to offer a complete oil-spill-response solution.

A study using a dynamic multiphase-flow software simulated a rapid-unloading event and determined the gas fraction in the riser annulus and the effect on riser fluid levels. The Troll field is one of the largest gas producers discovered off Norway, but ensuring its long-term future required finding ways to drill wells in an increasingly fragile formation to develop its rich oil reserves. The list of wells drilled using dual gradient includes one drilled in the “eastern Gulf of Mexico,” which could be more precisely described as offshore Cuba. A previous attempt to drill an exploration well in ultradeep water in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) did not reach its objective.

Considering most of the rigs deal with human-machine interface systems, the role of human factors is at the heart of any successful operation. Eye-tracking technology can be useful in real-time operation centers where ocular movement data can improve the professionals’ performance. What is the reality of risk in the hydrocarbon sector? In this roundtable discussion, senior industry executives discuss what happens when process safety intent meets the reality of operations. InterMoor, an Acteon company responsible for mooring, foundations, and subsea services, has completed its 10th straight year of operation without any lost-time incidents.

It will provide re ... Harkand has secured a USD 5 million contract from Swiber Offshore Mexico to perform saturation divin ... Two Bumi Armada subsidiary companies secured USD 300 million worth of contracts from ElectroGas for ... Amec Foster Wheeler has been awarded a contract by BP worth more than USD 73 million. Tam International, which provides inflatable and swellable packers for the oil and gas industry, has ... Sanchez Energy closed a deal with a subsidiary of Sanchez Production Partners to sell wellbore and a ... Penn West Petroleum has entered into a USD 321 million agreement with Freehold Royalties to sell an ... Bonterra Energy has acquired Cardium formation-focused assets in the Pembina area of Alberta, Canada ... Petrobras has sold its assets in Argentina’s Austral basin to Compañia General de Combustibles for U ... Pemex signed an agreement worth USD 1 billion with private equity firmFirst Reserve to jointly inves ... Gulfport Energy entered into an agreement to acquire Paloma Partners III for USD 300 million. Apache sold its 13% stake in the Wheatstone LNG terminal in Western Australia and 50% interest in th ... Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria completed the sale of its 30% interest in Oil Mining ... Oil and gas safety company Secorp opened a new office in Hobbs, New Mexico. Bill Barrett Corp. has signed agreements with several undisclosed recipients for the sale of the maj ... Encana said it will sell its remaining 54% stake in PrairieSky Royalty via a USD-2.4-billion Cardinal Energy entered into an agreement with an unnamed seller to acquire assets whose total daily ... Petrobras has awarded a contract, worth USD 465 million over a period of 5 years, to Aker Oilfield S ... CGG received contracts for the 3D seismic acquisition of four surveys using its marine broadband tec ... IKM Subsea, a subsidiary of IKM Group, has been awarded a contract by Eni Indonesia to provide remot ... OneSubsea, Schlumberger, and Helix Energy Solutions signed a letter of intent to develop technologie ... Premier Hytemp has committed to opening a USD-20-million, 67,000-ft2 precision engineering facility ... Expro has constructed a new 20,000‑m2 facility in Macaé, Brazil.

Will Blockchain Become the New Operational Backbone in Energy? Energy companies are looking to distributed ledger technology—otherwise known as blockchain—to help navigate the complex transactional systems that make up their operations. What is blockchain, and what makes it valuable to our industry? Statoil’s integrated operations center on the Norwegian continental shelf is one of several initiatives operators and service companies have set in motion to improve condition monitoring and maximize production on their assets. The company’s 31 licenses highlight a record-high total awarded during the latest APA round, which is aimed at developing mature areas of the NCS.